Brake shoe



J. A. LIGNIAN June 24, 1958 BRAKE SHOE Filed Feb. 9, 1954 "y. ve

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P'P/oe der 0^ M Ww rraA/fr n BRAKEv SHOE .leanV A. Lignian,.Dayton, Ohio, assignor to GeneralV Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application February 9, 1954, serial No. 409,142'V s claims. (c1. 18s-261) brake lining combination wherein the brake shoe carries g vaV space between the friction surface that is radially aligned with the web of the shoe so that there will be no friction surface in that area of the shoe immediately above the web in the area of maximum rigidity `of the shoe, butI rather the friction surfaces are on that area" of the shoe of lesser rigidity, and which have a tendency to deflect relative to the web.

VVIt is another object of the invention to provide an improved brake lining on a brake shoe which will provide for a more uniform loading of the lining across its entire friction Vsurface and thereby effect a more uniform temperature condition throughout the body of the lining.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a brake lining for attachment to a brake shoe wherein the body of the lining has the friction surface thereof provided with a longitudinally extending groove that is adaptedto a friction lining formed of compounded materials bonded together.

It is the common practice inthe manufacture of brake shoes for use in brakes in automotive vehicles to manufacture'theV brake shoe from metal parts and then bond or fasten va frictionv lining composed of various compounded materials onto` the brake shoe. One of the major difliculties encountered in obtaining efliciently operating brakes is correct dissipation of heat from the lining. Where possible, every effort is made, to avoid conditions'that' tend to create high temperature in the lining and the shoe. High temperature conditions shorten the life of brake linings and when temperature conditions are suiiiciently high the linings are destroyed.

One of the diiculties that is evidenced by high temperatures in linings is that condition commonly referred to as fading This fading is no more than a loss of the coeiiicient of friction of the lining and occurs when brakes are placed under continuous heavy load conditions or rapidly repeated heavy loads. Thus when a vehicle operator applies the brakes of the vehicle repeatedly or continuously under heavy load conditions the end result is a rapid decrease of braking efficiency which lreilects itself in the fact that the operator cannot stopV the automobile.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved `brake lining on a brake shoe wherein temperature conditions of the lining are not peaked so severely and thereby maintain a higher coeflcient of friction for the lining to secure more uniform braking effort.

It' is another object of the invention toy provide an improved brake lining on a brake shoe wherein the brake lining has the friction surface thereof relieved or removed in the area of the shoe that creates abnormal or peak temperature conditions, which thereby maintains its braking eiciency over a greater period of braking effort.

In the manufacture of brake shoes that receivebrake linings thereon it is the common practice to use a sheet steel material to form an arcuate shaped' rim forthe shoe and then attach to it a reinforcing web through which the braking pressure is appliedV to the rim and thereby to the lining as itv engages the' brake drum. These shoe structures are not absolutely rigid throughout the area of the shoe, but l,rather there is a condition of maximum rigidity created at the juncture ybetween the web andthe rim with thel rigidity of the rim decreasing gradually from the web toward the outer edges ofthe rim. This results in a condition creating a degree of ilexibility transversely remote from the fweb of the shoe that is Y greater than in that portion of the shoe immediately above and supported by theweb.

It is therefore: another object of this invention to provide a brakev lining material on a brake shoe wherein the-frictionV surfacesfofthe lining are spaced from one another transversely ofthe shoe in a manner to provide be positioned radially outward of the web of a brake shoe thereby eliminating friction surface from the lining immediately in line with the line of pressure application from the web.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention vwill be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a brake structure in which the shoe of this invention is incorporated.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line 2%2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a perspective elevational view of a brake shoe and lining secured thereon.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a slightly modified form of the invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic view illustrating diagrammatically the loading and temperature conditions of a conventional Ibrake shoe and lining.

Figure 6 is a schematic View illustrating the temperature and loading conditions of a brake shoe and lining constructed in accordance with this invention.

In this invention the brake shoe and lining is applied to a conventional brake structure that includes a brake drum 10 and a backing plate 11. A pair of brake shoes 12 and 13 are slidingly supported upon the backing plate upon suitable land areas in conventional manner, the shoes being resiliently retained against the backing plate by the spring retainers 14 and 15 respectively.

The upper ends 16 and 17 of the shoes 12 and 13 engage an anchor pin 18. The shoes are retained in engagement with the anchor pin by the retraction springs 19 and 20. An actuating device 21 that comprises a hydraulic cylinder and operating pistons therein is positioned between the brake shoes 12 and 13 in engagement withthe webs 22 and 23 respectively thereof whereby to expand the shoes into engagement with the brake drum 10. The opposite ends 24 and 25 of the brake shoes have an adjusting device 26 positioned therebetween of any conventional type, the tension spring 27 retainingthe ends 24 and 25 of the brake shoes in engagement with the adjusting device 26.

The brake shoe 12, more particularly illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 comprises a sheet steel rim 30 that is arcuately shaped. This sheet steel rim is reinforced by the web 23 that is arcuately shaped and is disposed midway between opposite edges 31 and 32 of the rim 30 at a right angle thereto. The web 23 is also a sheet steel element that usually is welded to the rim 30 to provide van integral structure that is T-shaped in cross section.

Patented June 24, 1958 ,n

rirnv immediately, above .the vveb,l that is radially relative to the rim. This longitudinally extending rigid portion of the ri1n30 is therefore that'-` portion that has the least, if any flexibility.; However, transversely of the rim.- 30

relative to-the web 23, as the lrim` 30 leaves the-webf23` there `is developed an increasing `degree offlexibility or f deformabilitybetween the web supported area andi-the edges liiand-A 32 respectively. The outer edgesd31 and* 31- ofthe` rim;30 has the maximum degree-of flexibility or Ydeformability.

In' brake shoesof conventional design the rim 30 thereforeperforms somewhat as a` catenary as fit is canti- Y levered from the `web 23. Y A f Since the`deformabilityof the grim 30 increases from the web23 toward-the outer edges'31 and 32 of the rim thereis `therefore a corresponding decrease in the brake loading'applied tothe friction surface of the lining 35A more remote to the web 23a, the maximum Vpressure load-V.

ingon the lining `35 occursradially outward of the web illustrated a brakesh-oe ofcjon-YV 23a, that is at the longitudinal center line of thelining 35 v represented by the numeral 40. VThe maximum pressure loading ofthe lining a along the longitudinal center line also results in a maximum temperature condition alongvthis same'line. The peak loading, both pressurewise and temperature-wise is` represented by the point V inthe dotted linediagram of Figure 5 since bothoccur at the same point. From the peak loading there is `a gradual decrease of pressure loading and therefore of temperature condition of thelining to the lowest loading condition, and therefore temperature condition, at the peripheral edges of the lining 35, as represented by the point 46 and 47 in the `dotted line diagram. t Y

This peak pressure loading condition, and temperature condition occurring immediately radially outward of the web 23a results in temperature kconditions that may go as high as 1600"` F. on the skin surface of the brake with resultant destruction kof the lining in this area.'v The charred' or glazed lining loses. its usefulness to the point where there is no favorable coefficient of friction'left in the lining to effectany useful work.

vdrum. Such temperature conditions char the brake lining i Since the rim `30a of the `brake shoe has lncreasing. exibility toward the peripheral edges thereof from the. web 23a, the pressure loading of the area of thelining C between the longitudinally extending mid-portion thereof and the peripheral edges is effectively reduced because the high point of pressure loading above the web together with 'the flexibility of the rim transversely thereof prevents a uniform` distribution of pressure application to the lining on transversely opposite sides of the web.

All of thes'econditions reducethe ultimate life of the lining and reduce the total effectiveness ofthe efficiency of the lining for uniform load distribution is not provided over the entire friction surfaceof the'liningn Also, the

high peak temperatures createdin the lining of convenextends longitudinally of the lining and is positioned im:

res 2 *t and 3, t-he lining 35 is provided with a groove 50'that medately` above Vthe lweb 23, V`that isW radially `outward of the same. The groove 50" is sutciently deep that it will always be present during4 the total life of the lining, that is, until the liningsurface wears to the head of the rivets 51 that secure the lining 35 to the rim 30.

The groove 50 in the lining 35 is of a Width to extend transversely beyond the 'peak temperature area `of the lining. The width of ,the grooveV is'dependent upon the rdegree of deformability of the rim 30, being narrower as the deformability ofthe rim 30` decreases. Generally speaking, it'has been found that'a groove 50 of about three times the width of the web 23 will perform satisfactorilyin the average brakeshoe'in which therim and the web are constructed of sheetusteelabout W32 of an inch in thickness.` Y

In Figure 6 there is illustrated schematically a representative pressure and therefore resultant temperature diagram resulting from'the use `of abrakeshoe with a lining constructed in accordance with this invention; The space A between the friction surfaces B of the lining35isjof course an inactive area. The friction surfaces B engage the brake drum in an off-set relation relative Vto the `web 23, thesejfriction surfaces B\being in the area ofj the rim M30 that are vmore deformable than thatuarea of the rim 30 radially above .the `web 23. Thus the friction surfaces B conformjmore uniformly to` thesurface o f the brake drum with the result ofob- 'taining more even distributionof the brake loading across the entire'areabof the friction surfaces. Further, since the groove 5,0 in the lining'35 avoids peaking of pressure and temperature conditions in the area of therim above the web 23, they maximum pressure and temperature condition created in the lining `35 isjless thanthe maximum peak temperature created in the conventional brake lining 35a shown inFigure 5. `This is represented in the line diagram of Figure 6 by the peaks 55 of the representative force-temperature diagram.

In actual experience it has been found that the temperature of the lining friction surface at the edges of the groove50 must of necessity be ,lower than the peak temperature existing in the conventional lining 35a above the web 23a (see Figure 5) fof thereason that no evidence -of charring of the'lining has been found under equivalent Aservice conditions of a conventional'brake shoe vs. brake shoes constructed in accordance with this invention. f Y

Further, with the elimination of the peak temperature conditions normally found with the conventional brake shoe and lining structure hereinbefore described, it has been found that there is no metallurgical structural change in the` brake drum iron in that area normally engaged by thehigh temperature lining of the conventional brake shoe'. VWith conventional brakeshoes, the peaking of to cracking.

Further, again referring to Figure 6,` the line diagram shown ,therein illustrates the increase in uniform distribution loading effected on the brake lining toward `the peripheral edges thereof. The loading on the lining becomes more uniform throughout its entire surface area and actually becomes more effective since the entire surfaceV area is being worked more uniformly. 4 t Vln vFigure 4 there is illustrated a slightly modified arrangement of brake shoe and lining structure wherein the brake shoe 12b comprises a rim 30b and a web 23h like that of the shoe illustrated in Fig. 2. y the structure of Figure 4 however the` brake lining is composed of two parts and 61 that are spaced one from the other to provide a space 62 therebetween that is posi- ,tioned radially outward of, thejweb 23b. Thus. it is apparent that the result of this invention can be obtained either -by the use of a grooved lining as illustrated in Figure 2 or by the use of spaced lining elements as illustrated in Figure 4.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A brake shoe for a vehicle brake, comprising, a brake shoe rim, a rim reinforcing web engaging one side of the rim, and a continuous friction lining on the opposite side of the rim fully engaging the same and having friction surfaces spaced one from the other forming thereby a space between the friction surfaces, said space being positioned radially outwardly from the web and of a width at least twice the width of engagement between the web and the rim, said space opening in a direction radially outwardly with respect to said lining` whereby the friction surface of said lining in the area above said web is completely eliminated.

2. A brake shoe for a vehicle brake, comprising, a brake shoe rim, a rim reinforcing web engaging one side of the rim effecting thereby greater rigidity of the rim in line with said reinforcing web than transversely thereof, and friction lining on the opposite side of the rim fully engaging the samey and having longitudinally and transversely continuously extending friction surfaces olfset transversely from both of opposite sides of said web with longitudinal parallel edges of said friction surfaces disposed in immediate adjacent spaced relationship one relative to the other on opposite sides of said web and just outside parallel radial planes extending from opposite sides of said web, said parallel edges defining a space having a width at least twice that of said web and opening in a direction radially outwardly with respect to said brake shoe rim whereby the friction surface of said lining in the areas above said web is completely eliminated.

3. A brake shoe for a vehicle brake, comprising, a brake shoe rim, a rim reinforcing web engaging one side of the rim effecting thereby greater rigidity of the rim in line with said reinforcing web than transversely thereof, and friction lining on the opposite side of the rim fully engaging the same and having friction surfaces offset thereon transversely relative to both sides of said web with the friction surfaces disposed wholly in the rim area of less rigidity and beyond opposite sides of the web, the inner adjacent edges of said olfset friction surfaces defining a space having a width at least twice that of said reinforcing web and opening in a direction radially outwardly with respect to said rim whereby no friction surface is provided in the rim area of maximum rigidity radially outwardly of the web.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS `1,923,872 Loughead Aug. 22, 1933 L2,144,016 Gallup Jan. 17, 1939 2,166,157 Jones et al. July 18, 1939 2,647,592 Tolden Aug. 4, 1953 2,661,819 Strohm Dec. 8, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 807,511 France Oct. 19, 1936 

